Suspected Arsonist Behind Missouri Planned Parenthood Fire Arrested

Planned Parenthood has been a consistent target of protests and critics for years, recently going to court over President Trump’s attempt to strip funding. And it’s not just at the national level; the local level provides just as many challenges that can be difficult, or even dangerous, as was proven in Missouri.

CBS News is reporting that a man believed to have set fire to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia, Missouri, last month is now in custody. The individual in question, 42-year-old Wesley Brian Kaster, was charged with attempting to burn down the clinic.

Kaster was charged with one count of maliciously damaging a building, owned by an organization the receives federal financial assistance, by means of fire or an explosive, according to CBS-13.

Kaster was seen on security cameras during the early morning hours of Feb. 10 allegedly trying to burn down the clinic by throwing a Molotov cocktail through one of the windows before fleeing the scene. When that didn’t work, he returned to the property one hour later and approaching a broken glass door. Smoke was seen coming out of the door as Kaster fled the scene. The remnants of the Molotov and two buckets of gasoline were discovered by firefighters.

Kaster is now in custody and awaiting his hearing on Thursday at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri.